An investigation into alcohol-fuelled violent offending by girls is to be launched in response to fears that cheap drink is leading to increased female involvement in gangs and other serious crime.

The chief inspector of probation, Liz Calderbank, says she believes that the low cost of alcohol and the ease with which it can be bought is contributing to a rise in the number of teenage girls committing violent offences.

She also warns that excessive alcohol consumption makes girls vulnerable to sexual exploitation and that the impact of drink on violent crime involving young females is “underestimated”.

She intends to investigate the extent of the links between drink and young female violence in a move that will prompt new debate about the impact of alcohol on society.

Ms Calderbank’s plan, revealed in comments to the Evening Standard, comes as the Government prepares to set a minimum price per unit for alcohol in a bid to tackle concerns about the health and crime problems caused by drinking. It also follows reports highlighting the growing presence of girls in gangs, both as perpetrators of crime and victims of older members who sexually exploit them, and the conviction of several teenage girls for killings in London.

Ms Calderbank, whose job involves monitoring the performance of youth offending teams in rehabilitating juvenile criminals, said: “We are seeing a different pattern of female offending with younger women getting involved in serious offences of violence and alcohol is often playing a part.

“The impact of alcohol consumption can be underestimated because alcohol is accepted as a recreational drug. But the connection between alcohol and violence is well established. It is about the lack of control. For girls it can lead to involvement in violent offending and increasing vulnerability.”

Ms Calderbank said some parents were mistakenly adding to the problem by buying “boxes of lager” for under-age teenagers without understanding the risks.

The cheap price, wide availability, and targeting of the young by some drinks manufacturers was a further difficulty. “The price is too low and it is too accessible,” she added.